New Coop, First Summer Report

This spring a friend generously gave us his shed he had transformed into a coop.  We were wanting a shed style coop after we had another, we think, weasel attack on our laying pullets which killed one.  Weasels are very hard to keep out since they can squeeze through very small spaces.  The pre-fab sheds are nice because they are solid and easy to secure for the night.

Jonathan made a few alterations such as adding egg doors so the kids could collect the eggs, and a ramp for access to the chicken yard.  Locks and latches we choose were important because some predators can work and open simple devices.

The kids enjoyed the temporary play house.

New pullets seem happy, and it has kept out a lingering raccoon.

We are very thankful Andy's kindness for even transporting the shed to our house. (This is also the friend that drove his tractor across town to turn over our yard for starting our garden 4 years back.)  Thank you Andy!

That garden has been doing ok considering the super dry spring we had. (Planted: tomatoes, white and sweet potatoes, snap peas, beans, leeks, garlic, collards, carrots, beets, lettuce, dill, cucs, radishes, sunflowers, melons and second annual returning pumpkin (came back from last year's pumpkins left)

White and red potatoes are THRIVING this year.  Beets and collards doing pretty good too.  Snap peas as always are doing just so so (New England springs are not the best for snap peas).   Our peas usually don't make it back to the house since the kids eat them first.  I think they like snap peas so much just because they have permission to pick them their self.  Little lady is eating a strawberry.

See what I mean, only one pea made it safely back to the house.  Oh and I forgot about our rhubarb, conveniently ready during strawberry season (rhubarb, strawberry cobbler is one of Jonathan's favorite).

Pigs are growing nicely.  They have nice length in the loins showing the Landrace breed influence (these are Landrace/Hampshire cross breed).  Hams and shoulders are not as rounded as our last Hampshire/Yorkshire crosses but still plenty meat there.

I am continually pleased by the quality stock we get from our piglet farmer (he grows pigs, cows and chickens for meat also and sells to local restaurants, all free range for those curious).

Thats it for now.  As always, construction is in progress on the house.  Dad and Mom T. were here last weekend and helped with some projects.  I hope to share some completed updates with you soon.

WHY You Should Grow Your OWN Asparagus!!

I initially named this post Asparagus For The Best Of Us (yes Festivus/Seinfold wannabe knockoff, though not as witty, I know), but thought people wouldn't catch what I wanted to say:

Which is-  Plant asparagus once, eat it for life.
Note: I was an ok asparagus fan until I ate fresh asparagus, its so tender and way more tasty.  Our kids even eat it.

Asparagus is a perennial which means it keeps coming back, ON ITS OWN!  That's right, you plant the roots once/do the work once/sweat a little bit once/schedule a little time out of your day once/dig a hole once/did I mention you do it only once and you get fresh asparagus to eat every year after*.   Thats it!  From what I have read, plants can produce for up to 25-30 years!
*depending on the maturity of the plants you might have to wait a year or two before you can harvest.

Lets start at the planting part, that you only HAVE TO DO ONCE.  And note I am not the local asparagus expert, Jonathan and his Dad are and Jonathan actually planted it.

Step 1.  First you order some asparagus crowns/roots.  I believe it is recommended to get 2-3 year old crowns which will allow you to start picking them sooner.

Step 2.  Dig your trenches per your crown's growing instructions (different varieties are different) and follow soil prep instructions.  Doing it right the first time will give you healthy plants for YEARS to come.  We added compost and some phosphate (easy to find at garden stores) to the bottom of the trench to encourage root growth, that's all.  The below photo is of a different variety than ours that did not need as deep of a trench.

http://masterofhort.com/tag/planting-asparagus/

Step 3.  Cover the roots, wait and keep weed free.  We mulch on top of the row with chopped up leaves from the fall, straw would work too.

Step 4.  In early spring watch for the light purplish noses to pop up.  It's an exciting moment.  Here in New England they pop up around mid April.  Not sure about my parent's asparagus in Tennessee, I assume earlier.

Step 5.  Cut the asparagus spears when they are about 5" to 7" tall and over a half an inch in diameter (is the rule of thumb I have heard).  First year and second year, if you planted mature crowns, go very easy on the picking.  We picked just a few bunches worth the past few years.  The third year I hear you can harvest for up to three weeks.  Read up on it yourself though because, as I said, I don't count myself as an expert.

Step 6.  Let it go.  That's right (and not talking about a solo on a North Mountain), let the plants go and grow.  They will get around 4'-6' tall but are absolutely beautiful.

Our asparagus bed in the morning-

Step 7.  Enjoy the seasonal foliage, keep bed weed free and wait till next spring for more free food.

Red 'berries' late in the season

I don't know much about growing it in restricted garden space (such as containers) but I have seen pictures of it.... so it's maybe worth a looking into if that might be your only option.

Hope you jump on the asparagus train.  Woowooo!

Eat More Weeds

I have reached Level 5 of Domesticism.  I can't quite place a symbol figure for this level but Level 8 would be Ruby, from the book/movie Cold Mountain:

Level 9 would be Christy.

And Level 10 would be Caroline Ingalls (from Little House On The Prairie):

But I figure if I were to reach these upper levels I would have to be without electricity or internet so you would not hear of my rise in skill sets.  So if I drop off the grid you can secretly cheer for me and  and think of me hunting out road kill and eating dandelions.

So back to eating weeds.  I truly am promoting it (only if you properly educate yourself first, oh and promoting only the legal ones too).
This past Christmas Jonathan fueled my strange hobby endeavor by getting me this book:

I have found herbology to be pretty interesting.  No, I don't wear tie dye and ankle skirts (though there is nothing wrong with that), but I like history and I like plants... and I like self sufficiency so herbology is a good study for me.

Don't worry, I am not turning on modern medicine.  And I am not making any crazy and possibly dangerous tinctures, I don't plan to go that far.  But I did pick some wild violets in our yard this spring and seeped them in oil to make a soothing skin oil.  If you think that is weird then look at the ingredients in your lotion, does it contain aloe, then you rubbed the guts of a plant on your skin too.

Other medicinal herbs/plants/weeds you are probably consuming include rosemary (digestion, circulation), thyme (antiseptic, good to treats colds), garlic (digestion, circulation and more), oregano (antioxidant, antiseptic) and oats (soothing).... just to name a common few.  Herb's medicinal compounds are extracted and used everywhere.  One for example is thymol, a compound extracted from common thyme, is used in mouthwashes such as Listerine (source).  I could also say something about mint, licorice and marshmallow, all once sweetened and used medicinally.... now just an artificial flavor added to corn syrup for a candy.

So back to weeds, these are medicinal plants I discovered growing in our yard:

(All the medicinal notes are summarized from Making Plant Medicine book, as mentioned above, by Richo Cech.  I am NOT a doctor nor do I claim to be, so therefore don't take my word for these things.  I encourage you to research this stuff on your own if interested in personal use.)

Cleavers:

These guys were found growing near our water facet, guess they are moochers of the drippage.

Cleansing of the lymphatic and urinary tract system and blood.  A strong diuretic used helping with urinary tract problems (such as kidney stones).  I picked some, dried it (on an awesome homemade Christmas present from my sister-in-law) and made my husband drink it in some tea.  He lived.... and had to pee a lot, so I guess it worked.

Drying

Lady's Mantle:

This lovely flowering plant was already planted in a flower bed next to the old koi pond.

Appropriately named, good for general women's health.  Books says helpful in toning reproduction organs, good pregnancy tonic, postpartum relief, mood swings and other womanly problems (cause y'all know we gots the problems) .  Apparently a popular tea still for women in other countries.

Echinacea:

An immune stimulant that increases overall disease resistant.  This tea actually taste pretty good (I buy the tea instead of making it myself).

Violets:

We have violets growing all though out our yard.  I know its not lush grass but it gives a nice color in the spring.

Cooling and healing, for either internal or external issues; upper repository infections to skin problems.  This is what I made my skin oil from, as mentioned above.

Stinging Nettle:

This guy hangs out in our asparagus patch.  

Nettle is a nutritive tonic, apparently high in chlorophyll, potassium and calcium.  The fresh herb can be used for making beer.

Chick Weed:

This guy pops up everywhere there isn't grass I feel like.

Increases energy levels and fat metabolism.  An excellent hen feed, increasing eggs size and production and even the nutritional value of the egg.  Guess thats the reason it takes over flower beds and gardens even when thought it was properly weeded the season before.... because it needs to pulled up and eaten by a human or a hen.

Burdock:

This big ugly monster is not welcome in our yard, but he is persistent.  The spiny burrs freak little lady out every time she discovers them attached to her, thinking its a spider.  So on top of medicinal properties it is helping her over come some fears.

Used in treating staph infections, impetigo and other ulcerations.  Combined with dandelion or yellow dock could be used to treat psoriasis, eczema, oily skin, boils and gout.

Plant in spring

Burs later in season

That is all I discovered for now.  To answer your question, no, I am not out grazing on all fours on the weeds throughout our yard.  And don't worry the kids and I don't try anything without testing it on Jonathan first.  So far he is doing fine. ;)

Is It Officially Spring!?

"I declare that spring has finally sprung!"

And man oh man we are off and running.... maybe a little too fast.

Surprisingly, we got the garden turned over probably earlier than we EVER have.  I haven't checked any stats but I think this has been a dryer spring than normal, hope that trend does NOT continue into summer.  Nevertheless, it is always exciting to get the initial dirt turned over... to let it sit while the weeds rot for the final tilling.  Good husband-

We did plant plenty cool weather plants and hope to be enjoying some of those in the coming weeks:  beets, carrots, radishes, leaf lettuce, collards, leeks, cilantro, red spinach and sugar snap peas.  I also got some red seed potatoes in.
We have been enjoying our asparagus harvest, it's our new kickoff to the season food along with the well established chive bed.  So tender when fresh, and SO easy to prepare.  And SO tempting to grab-

"Read my face, dirt playing season is here"-

Speaking of those chives and what we like them with, we replenished our egg laying operation with four three new RI Red, Delaware cross pullets (one is no longer with us and the investigation goes on to pin point the intruder).  Signs still seem to point to a feral cat.

We also, for the first time, are raising chicks-

In just a few weeks, they have dropped their chicky fuzz and are growing feathers.  We think they are around 5 weeks old.  They should start laying around 18 weeks old.

Typically we buy pullets around 17 weeks old, so our "investment" of $10/pullet starts laying almost as soon as we buy them (a return).  No special equipment is needed at this age either.  We chose to get chicks this year because I have always wanted different varieties, specifically Plymouth Barred Rock Hens.  The other chick varieties we got are New Hampshire Reds and Golden Salmon Maran (we think, or maybe Welsummer).  Hopefully one day we will have the set up to sell eggs to friends.

Last but not least, we also got our piglets for the year!

Three gilts (young females), Landracer and Hampshire crosses.  This is different from our previous year breed- Yorkshire, Hampshire cross.  These girls have much more length in the loins and those cute floppy ears.  Goodness though, they are HUGE for being only 9 weeks.  Our farmer never disappoints us with his stock-

Picture taken by little man-

So like I said, we are up and running, ready for another attempt to grow some of our own food.  I am really behind on sharing what's going on around here, guess I better stop sitting around.